Cream cheese lemonade pie is cool, creamy and sweet-tart, like a glass of lemonade turned into a fluffy no-bake pie in a graham cracker crust. It is the dessert to make the night before a cookout, a potluck or any hot day when you do not want the oven on.
How to make cream cheese lemonade pie: Beat softened cream cheese with sweetened condensed milk, mix in thawed lemonade concentrate and whipped topping, and pour it into a graham cracker crust. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight before slicing.
Why You’ll Love It
- Five ingredients. Cream cheese, condensed milk, lemonade concentrate, whipped topping and a store-bought crust.
- Ten minutes of work. One bowl and a hand mixer, with no baking at all.
- Made ahead on purpose. It has to chill overnight, so dessert is done before the day starts.
- Light, mousse-like filling. Smooth and airy, with a bright lemon tang against the sweet crust.
What Is Lemonade Pie?
Lemonade pie is a chilled, no-bake pie with a creamy filling flavored with frozen lemonade concentrate, set in a graham cracker crust. This one adds cream cheese, which makes the filling a little richer and gives it a gentle tang, a bit like a very light lemon cheesecake.
Ingredient Notes
Cream cheese. You need 4 ounces, which is half a block. Let it soften to room temperature so it beats smooth.
Sweetened condensed milk. One 14-ounce can. Make sure the can says sweetened condensed, not evaporated.
Frozen lemonade concentrate. Measure 6 ounces and thaw it first. Use the concentrate as it is.
Whipped topping. An 8-ounce tub, thawed in the refrigerator so it folds in without icy lumps.
Graham cracker crust. Buy the larger premade crust, the 9-ounce size labeled for 2 extra servings.
Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese (1/2 block), softened to room temperature
- 1 can (14 ounces) sweetened condensed milk
- 6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate, thawed
- 1 tub (8 ounces) whipped topping, thawed
- 1 premade graham cracker crust (9-ounce size, labeled for 2 extra servings)
How to Make Cream Cheese Lemonade Pie
1. Beat the cream cheese. In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
2. Add the condensed milk. Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
3. Add the lemonade. Mix in the thawed lemonade concentrate until combined.
4. Add the whipped topping. Add the thawed whipped topping and whip until smooth, with no streaks.
5. Fill and chill. Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to set before slicing.
How Long Does Lemonade Pie Need to Chill?
Give this pie at least 8 hours in the refrigerator, or leave it overnight. That is not a suggestion to hurry along. The filling goes into the crust soft and pourable, and the long chill is what firms it up enough to cut.
Slice it early and the filling will still be soft. If you need it for a 6 o’clock dinner, make it the evening before or first thing in the morning.
| When you serve | When to make it |
|---|---|
| Lunch | The night before |
| Dinner | The night before, or early that morning |
| Next-day party | Any time the day before |
Keep it covered while it chills, and leave it on a flat shelf where nothing will press on the top.
Tips for Success
Why does my filling have lumps?
The cream cheese was too cold, or the condensed milk went in before the cream cheese was smooth. Beat the cream cheese by itself first, then add the milk and scrape the bowl.
Why does my filling look streaky?
The whipped topping was not fully mixed in. Keep whipping until the color is even and no white streaks are left.
Can You Make It Ahead?
You have to. The 8-hour chill is part of the recipe, so this pie is always made at least the night before or the morning of. That makes it a good choice for a busy day: mix it in 10 minutes, cover it, and forget about it until dessert.
If you enjoy cream cheese desserts, Oreo Delight pairs a cream cheese layer with an Oreo crust and chocolate pudding.
Storage & Reheating
This pie lives in the refrigerator. USDA FSIS says to keep cold perishable food at 40°F or below and to discard it if it has sat out more than 2 hours, or more than 1 hour when it is hotter than 90°F. Covered and refrigerated, a cream cheese lemonade pie keeps for up to 4 days.
What to Serve With It
For a cool dessert table, pair it with a strawberry cream cheese icebox cake or a tray of raspberry cream cheese bites. If you like lemon, the 4-ingredient lemon cream cheese dump cake is the warm version of the same flavors, and cream cheese squares are easy to pass around. Top each slice with a spoonful of cream cheese whipped cream. For dinner before dessert, slow cooker cream cheese chicken cooks while the pie chills.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can cream cheese lemonade pie be frozen?
Yes, once it has set in the refrigerator. Cover it well before it goes in the freezer, and thaw it in the refrigerator rather than on the counter.
Do I bake the crust first?
No. This is a no-bake pie from start to finish. The filling goes straight into a premade graham cracker crust and sets in the refrigerator, so the oven stays off.
How many slices does one pie make?
Eight. Cut it straight from the refrigerator, while the filling is cold and firm.
Can I use a regular-size crust?
The recipe is written for the larger 9-ounce premade crust, the one labeled for 2 extra servings. Look for that size so the amounts match.
Final Notes
I make this one the night before and leave it alone until it is time to slice, because the overnight chill gives the cleanest cut. If you make it, leave a comment to tell me how it turned out or ask a question.
Cream Cheese Lemonade Pie
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Ingredients
- 4 ounces cream cheese 1/2 block; softened to room temperature
- 1 can sweetened condensed milk 14 ounces
- 6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate thawed
- 1 tub whipped topping 8 ounces; thawed
- 1 premade graham cracker crust 9-ounce crust; the larger size labeled for 2 extra servings
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat the softened cream cheese with an electric hand mixer until smooth.
- Add the sweetened condensed milk and mix until completely smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Mix in the thawed lemonade concentrate until combined.
- Add the thawed whipped topping and whip until smooth, with no streaks.
- Pour the filling into the graham cracker crust. Cover and refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to set before slicing.
